Voice of Freedom (By CorinnetheAnime)
by Donjusticia
Summary: "Someone has to make a difference, so why not me?" These words spoken by a brave Academia soldier, would start a spark that would ignite into a fire of revolution and freedom. Originally conceived by CorinnetheAnime, join Lydia and the Freedom Fighters as they fight to overthrow the tyranny of Academia and bring peace to the Fusion Dimension.
1. Prologue

**Donjusticia's Author Note:** **This story IS NOT mine. It belongs exclusively to CorinnetheAnime, who has asked me to publish her work on my account and continue adding to the story under her careful supervision. Thank you for this honor, Corinne. It has been a true delight to read your work, and it an even greater delight to write for you. For all of you new to this series, please give all credit to this work to CorinnetheAnime, who is the true author and creator.**

 **To those who have read this story before, CorinnetheAnime and I have made one small edit to this prologue, but which will have a significant impact on the plot of the rest of the story. So watch out for that and please leave a review so that CorinnetheAnime can receive some helpful feedback.**

 **Original CorinnetheAnime AN's:**

 **Very New Author's Note:** **More edits made on November 13, 2016. This time, I just added a couple more lines, removed the time stamp, and fixed up some grammar. That's all. :)**

 **New Author's Note:** **Alright, so this particular page/chapter was edited on August 5th, 2016. I did say that I would eventually go back and redo/edit some parts of the earlier chapters...otherwise, there would be a few problems with it. Considering that I wrote this over...seven months ago, well...I am quite amazed to see how the writing and style has improved. So, enjoy the edited version! :)**

 **Old Author's Note:** **This is CorinnetheAnime. It's been a while since I've published anything. In reality, this is my 9th story, not my first, okay? I have done some Danny Phantom, Gravity Falls, and Big Hero 6 stories in the past (I was actually the first person to write a BH6/DP crossover, but nobody probably remembers that by now).**

 **Anyway, here is a story that has been in my head for a while (like for 3 months). Hope you enjoy it! :)**

 **This takes place in the future (making it AU), after Yuya and the others entered the Synchro Dimension. Yuya has absorbed Yugo (just go with it), but not Yuri (he returned to the Fusion Dimension). This story takes place in the Fusion Dimension, but not in Academia. More will be revealed later. :)**

 **Warning: This story has some violence (implied), angst, and threats/death.**

* * *

To my companions, or to any who might find this letter, I will probably be long dead. However, with this last will, this last letter, I do leave with condolences.

My friends, my family, forgive me for my actions. I know that I am not a forgiving person, nor do I deserve forgiveness for my horrible past. I still wonder every day how I have such good and loyal friends as you guys, friends that stood beside me in times of darkness and terror, friends that lifted each other up and encouraged each other. You were all like my new family, as strange as that is. You all were truly the light in my otherwise dark life.

Johan, Asuka, forgive me for not being a good friend. I only wished to make things right once more, to end this war we're in, to bring peace to our homes. But all I had brought to you was war, pain, suffering, _death_. You didn't deserve this. We could've fled to the mountains, away from Academia, away from everything...but I wanted to fight. My own stubbornness placed us all into danger day after day, and I deeply regret my actions and choices.

I am truly sorry, but it probably doesn't matter now.

To Joho...well, I guess this was it. I don't know if you'll ever get to read this, but if you do, I'll write out my true feelings here. Ever since we met in Academia, I had this strange...connection with you, a spark, so to speak. I didn't know that that little spark would ignite into full-fledged feelings of passion and infatuation...no, it was deeper than that, much deeper.

It was _love_. And I...I can't really express it, but I saw you more than just a brother or friend. It has come to me after all this time, after nights of confusion of how to express this warm feeling, and of days passing by with the ever-gripping fear of rejection or betrayal, that...that I now realize that I love you.

Thank you for being there with me. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to tell you, but, at least, I had you by my side. The only thing I ask of you is to keep on living, in remembrance of me. Thank you for being with me since the very beginning.

And I'm sorry about not telling you about your father. I do hope that, one day, once you learned of the truth...that you would find it in your heart to _forgive_ me.

And to my brother...well, if you ever do read this, do know that even if we are on opposite sides, even if we are enemies, even if one or both of us faced death, please do know that no matter what, deep down in my heart...I love you so much. If only I had the strength to tell you that to your face, but that was probably my own stubbornness, hatred, and pride getting in the way.

Please forgive me, brother. And whatever you do, there is only one thing I ask of you: please have peace in your heart and a smile on your face, just like the one you used to have when we were younger.

I knew that it would end like this, sooner or later. And as such, before I leave, I ask this for everyone who reads this: please live your lives with joy and happiness. Reunite with your families and your loved ones, and be a voice of freedom and hope for those who are still hurting inside. Make the future a bright one, Academia or no Academia.

And one last thing: forget everything about or involving me, but please forgive me. Thank you all for teaching me how to be me again. Especially you... _my little brother._

I will _miss_ you all so much.

 _~L_

* * *

 _It was a normal and peaceful day over the bustling lakeside city: the sun was shining its warm, bright rays over all, the birds were singing their melodious songs, filling the air with beautiful music. After a long day of school, the children were playing and dueling each other, laughing and enjoying the peace._

 _But it was a short-lived moment of joy...for little did they know of the tragedy fast approaching..._

 _In the middle of a fenced and cemented area, surrounded by multi-colored brick buildings and paved roadways, stood two children in particular, playing a very special kind of game: Duel Monsters. One was a young girl with purple eyes and hair, the ends and bangs flowing rapidly in the soft breeze. She wore a simple white t-shirt and shorts, and her feet were completely bare._

 _The other kid was a boy who appeared even younger than her, his teal green eyes and lighter blue hair also fluttering in the wind. He wore a yellow t-shirt and khaki shorts, and his feet, unlike hers, were covered in a pair of comfortable sandals. Not that she minded._

 _They were all alone in the wide and empty alley, a somewhat remote, yet clean place, surrounded by a short fence barely taller than the girl's brother, a place where they could ignore the bustling and beeping of traffic that sounded and honked in the distance. They were enveloped in their little game, the older girl acting as a "wise" mentor to the younger boy..._

 _"Come on, little brother, you can do this!" the young girl, who appeared around the age of eight, called to her sibling, giving him a large smile and a thumbs up for encouragement. She had confidence in her brother's remarkable abilities, and hoped that he would be able to achieve the next step in his dueling._

 _I know you can..._

 _The boy shot her a quick pout before looking through his cards, his face scrunched in determination with his tongue sticking out. Widening his fingers a bit, his teal eyes lit up as he noticed one card in particular, just hidden out of view beneath the others._

 _Shooting a smirk to his sister, he slapped it on his duel disk blade, watching as the machine hummed and the monster appeared before him, flapping its little wings. Now he had two monsters on his field in comparison to his sister's one. He smirked to himself at his accomplishment, looking up at his sister's amethyst eyes in pride._

 _"Here I go!" he cried before he grabbed another card from his hand and showed it to his sister, whose smile widened even more at the sight of it. "I ACTIVATE THE SPELL,_ _POLYMERIZATION_ _!"_

" _Please work, please work," the boy silently pleaded as the card's effects activated, his two monsters fusing together in a swirl of yellow-and-blue light. His Extra Deck opened up, revealing another card. His eyes widened and his smile grew even larger._

 _I FUSION SUMMON! COME FORTH, MY MONSTER!" the boy cried, summoning the new monster on the field as the swirling lights faded away. The monster was revealed to be a somewhat darker, demonic form of its fusion counterparts, but he was proud of his achievement nonetheless. And so was his sister, judging by the proud look in her eyes, not fazed by the Fusion monster's appearance._

 _That was amazing!_

 _"Great job, bro, on your first Fusion Summon!" she complimented him genuinely. He beamed brightly and then continued the turn, ordering his monster to attack hers. The duel wasn't over just yet._

 _Her monster was quickly destroyed, lowering her life points even more. However, despite the fact that her brother had performed a spectacular Fusion Summon, she still had a few tricks left up her sleeve._

 _Flashing a sly grin of her own, she cried, "I activate the effect of my monster! If it's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I draw two cards!" She then did so and looked at them, her purple eyes widening._

 _"Even so, that won't save you from what I'm about to do!" the boy called, pointing to his monster. "I activate my monster's effect! If it successfully destroys an opponent's monster in battle and sends it to the Graveyard, that monster is then equipped to mine and it raises my monster's attack points by a thousand!"_

 _The girl gave a startled gasp as her monster appeared in an apparition from the Graveyard, flying towards her brother's monster and making it glow and grow to a larger size than before. However, the awe was soon replaced with laughter ringing through the air. Her brother raised an eyebrow at her from this._

 _"Why are you laughing?" he questioned with curiosity._

 _"I'm having so much fun with this duel, aren't you?" This was her answer as she continued to giggle extensively, making her brother join in on the moment. He agreed with her; this was a lot of fun._

 _"Yeah, I love dueling!" he replied, hugging his sides tightly while he continued to laugh._

 _After a few moments of laughing and enjoying their time together, the girl wiped some tears from her eyes before she returned her focus to the duel. "This is so great! But unfortunately, you already attacked, so you have to end your turn now!"_

 _Her brother pouted again as he realized that she was right; he couldn't attack anymore. "I end my turn," he declared in a low mumble, not setting any cards. His sister raised an eyebrow at this._

 _Placing her fingers on her deck, she drew, looking at the card from the corner of her eye. She grinned widely. "I hate to say this, but it's the end, brother! I activate the Spell card,_ _POLYMERIZAT_ _—!"_

 _"KIDS, KIDS! THERE YOU ARE!" A sharp cry rang through the air, alerting the two children and taking their attention away from the duel...to see their mother coming towards them from behind the fence, tears streaming from her eyes. "WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"_

 _"Wha—what's going on, mother?" the boy asked, deactivating his duel disk, the girl doing the same as they ran to their maternal figure._

 _After approaching them, the latter held them close to her for a moment before grabbing their arms and running out of the empty area and back towards the house. Her children grew very worried and anxious as the once calm, peaceful silence was suddenly permeated by the terrible sounds of people weeping and police sirens blaring._

 _But soon, both the sirens and crying eventually gave way to multiple screams and shrieks of terror ringing in the sky as throughout the city, multiple sounds of something large and mechanical rumbled through the streets. The girl glimpsed to her right briefly, watching with horrified eyes as the skyscrapers in the distance were covered in a cloud of smoke and fire..._

 _Something was wrong...something was very, very wrong. It took her only a few moments to figure out what was happening as a large robot suddenly appeared from the smoke, marching loudly as the skyscrapers slowly crumbled and fell to the earth as dust._

 _Academia. They were under attack by Academia..._

 _The boy started to cry as the girl questioned her mother continuously. "What's going on? Why are they here? Why now? Why are we running? Where's Miu? Where's father?"_

 _There was a moment of silence as a single tear trailed down her mother's cheek, shaking her head solemnly. The girl refused to believe the implication of her sorrow._

 _"Mom...no, it can't be! Where are they? Wher—?"_

 _"He's gone, Lydia, and your sister too. They were taken by them." The mother stifled a sob, and the girl, who was named Lydia, widened her eyes as hot tears streamed down her cheeks. Her brother, upon hearing the heartbreaking news as well, bawled even louder._

 _What? They were carded?!_

 _"Come on, kids! We're almost...there..." The mother faltered in her words and came to a sudden stop, her eyes widening in fear and horror at the terrifying sight in front of her. Her kids took a peek from behind her back and all stood frozen in shock, the boy's whimpers still continuing._

 _Their house, their simple home that once stood proudly...was utterly flattened to the ground. Standing on top of the debris and the remaining pieces was a large and scary monster, a dog-like mechanical creature. The owner on top of its head soon took notice of the mother and children and began advancing towards them, a maniacal smile plastered beneath his silver Obelisk Force mask._

 _But his silver badge that gleamed on the left part of his uniform revealed that he was a part of the Drafting Forces, the faction in Academia that scoured both towns and cities in search of new recruits, which consisted of strong and healthy children and sometimes even young adults. But they would always draft with force and take what they could get, usually burning down the places and eliminating anyone who dared try to resist them. Nothing but destruction was left in their path._

 _They were incredibly merciless and extremely cruel, a true scourge upon mankind even though they claimed that they were for the Fusion Dimension and its people. The mere mention of them on someone's lips would send shivers down anyone's spine..._

 _And they were now in their hometown._

 _Lydia froze in fear, cold sweat running down her face; they were here...but why? Why now? Didn't they have enough soldiers in Academia? Why, why did they always need more each day? Why did the Professor want them? Was it all some sort of twisted game to him? Messing with peoples' lives, taking children away from parents, dividing families forever?_

 _It wasn't right! It wasn't RIGHT! What they were doing WASN'T RIGHT!_

 _"Hello, madam," the man greeted condescendingly as the monster bent down to its knees to let his master off. He continued to walk towards them, his duel disk gleaming ominously amidst the flames of burning homes. "On orders of the second Professor, the Drafting Forces, and on the behalf of the future of our world, I hereby ask that you hand your children over. Academia needs more recruits to protect this world. This is an order."_

 _The woman trembled in fear of the monster's presence, but she nevertheless stood protectively over her two children with a shaky display of courage, spreading her arms over them as if to shield them from the man's evil. "No, you are only bringing pain and suffering to this city. If you want to get to my children, then you'll have to do it over my dead body."_

 _The soldier smirked at this as his duel disk grew even brighter. "Very well, as you wish. That can easily be arranged."_

 _Lydia widened her eyes._

 _No._

 _The siblings could only watched in horror as the light then enveloped the mother and her entire body, making her slowly disappear with a cry of alarm._

 _NO!_

 _Lydia hugged her crying brother as the man drew a card from his duel disk, showing it to the kids and shaking it._

 _Why?_

 _"Don't worry, your mother is safe in here," he stated in a flat monotone, flinging the card at the kids. Lydia bent down and picked it up, her eyes burning and watering with tears at the sight of their mother on it. A strange sense of anger washed over her form as she looked up at the soldier, her face twisted in sadness and rage._

 _Mother...she's gone._

 _"WHY?!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, tears streaming from her purple eyes. She didn't understand why the soldier would do such a cruel and inhuman thing to them. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US?! WHY DID YOU TAKE OUR PARENTS AWAY?! WHY?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!"_

 _The soldier chuckled and replied impassively, "It's like I told your mother, little girl. Academia needs more recruits. Academia needs you and your brother to fight in order to ensure the safety of this world from any possible dangers. However, those who oppose this rule become a danger, a threat to this world, such as your parents. They opposed and fought us, so we had to make sure that they wouldn't interfere again."_

 _She stopped at his words. He killed their mother...because she was in the WAY?! What kind of emotionless MONSTER was HE?!_

 _"WHAT?!" she shouted, her fists trembling with rage. Without thought, she instinctively rushed toward the soldier with her hand drawn back, seeking to punch his face and avenge her dead parents, but his monster stepped forward and knocked her off her path with a backward swipe of its paw. The force sent her flying towards some of the sharper debris of the ruined house._

 _Her brother watched the scenario unfold in complete alarm. "No...SISTER, NOOO!"_

 _CRACK!_

 _"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Her agonizing howl went through deaf ears to the soldier as he gave an impassive look in her direction. Shrugging his shoulders, he ordered his monster towards her location to grab her as he turned back to the boy, who stood quivering and shaking in fear. His teal eyes were locked in his sibling's direction, widening at the horrific sight._

 _"Sister..."_

 _Her body...or, well, what was left of it...it was like staring at a horror show. The boy shivered visibly, forever scarred from what just happened before him._

 _He had just witnessed his parents and his sister die right before his eyes, the latter in a way too gruesome to describe. He was all alone, and no one else was around to help or save him from this fate._

 _"Lydia..." the boy whimpered sadly to himself in a quivering tone before he felt something metal wrapping itself around his waist, hoisting him up in the air. He shouted out a voice of alarm before shrieking and squirming, trying to escape from the monster's grip to no avail. The soldier laughed darkly as he climbed to the top of the monster's head._

 _"Don't worry, children. Consider it an honor that Academia has chosen you to fight for us. Soon, you will learn the truth and the true power of Fusion as well as the rewards for serving this dimension! Glory on the Academia!"_

* * *

 **And that's it. I'm not saying who the boy is (unless you can figure it out). And yeah, Obelisk Force is downright evil...I'm glad Berserk Yuya beat some of them up. At least until Episode 89...*shivers***

 **The girl is my OC, so don't take her. Hope you like this story! More is coming soon! :) HAPPY NEW YEAR!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Meeting**

 **Donjusticia's Disclaimer:** **Certain areas of this chapter have been edited and modified from the original source material. I own none of the content presented in this chapter.**

 **Very New Author's Note** **: This chapter has been updated on January 5th, 2017. I will be adding flashbacks to this chapter over the course of time, so expect this chapter to be longer and smoother. :) Enjoy!**

 **New Author's Note:** **Alright, this chapter was edited on August 8th, 2016. In this chapter, there was a little tidbit that I forgot to add in the original version: the restoration/Academia dilemma of the XYZ Dimension. And considering that the Lancers are going straight to the Fusion Dimension, the edited version gave a few reasons (and more emotion) as to why they're not going to the Xyz Dimension. So that takes care of that plot hole (although, I am very surprised on how almost no one noticed it...). :)**

 **Also, I had to change the semi-final duels, so the duel between Yuya and Crow didn't happen, BUT Obelisk Force did invade the place anyway.**

 **Anyway, the style in this chapter was more generic and informative than emotional, and as Komori Rias pointed out, my earlier attempts in writing the third-person omniscient perspective were a bit...weak, to say the least. Therefore, I have added more description, emotion and feeling to it, while still giving the information of what happened. Let me know if this helped the chapter or not. :)**

 **With that said, enjoy the edited version! :D**

 **Old Author's Note:** **Hey, I'm back! In this chapter, this is where it hits AU (although, the last chapter was pretty noncanon as well). Also, I don't know what happened to the reviews, but they are there...somehow. If you want to see them, they're at the bottom.**

 **Here's chapter 1 (last chapter was a prologue)! The setting is Synchro Dimension, and the present time is a few days after the end of the Friendship Cup. Yuya won against his duel with Crow in order for this to work, so if he loses in that duel, then this entire story is AU.**

 **There are a few other changes, which you will see once you read the first few parts of the chapter. But the chances of all those events happening in the show are zero to nothing, sooooo...yeah, let's move on**!

 **From this point on, Crow and Shinji will be joining the Lancers (I already stated what happened to Yugo in the last chapter, in case you've forgotten. And yeah, he'll be giving Yuya LOTS of headaches! XD) So, ENJOY (no, not enjoy Chojiro)!**

 **Bold = Author notes, reviews (reviewers)**

 _Bold with Italics = Reviews (Author)_

 _Italics = flashbacks, thoughts, emphasis_

* * *

It was evening in the City in the proud and free Synchro Dimension, the sun barely peeking over the horizon and the tall, crystal skyscrapers of the Tops, their glowing structures overshadowing the lower, darker and poorer regions of the Commons. With the fading light came a clearer view of the starry black sky and the pale moon, acting as substitutes for the shining of light. There were no clouds in sight, which left only a beautiful and clear dusk for the occupants to watch and enjoy.

But there was something else in the atmosphere, a feeling that had lingered for a while now...peace. After a very long era of discrimination and injustice, there was finally a calm tranquility, a universal peace that existed throughout all of the Synchro Dimension.

For most of the residents, they could sense that cool and tranquil feeling in the air...but not _all_ of them did.

Inside the dining hall of the Executive Council building, there was only one particular resident inside, waiting for the others to arrive in time for the meeting that would soon take place. Both his mind and heart were in complete turmoil, most likely from the past events that had happened recently, and he didn't know what to do about it.

So he did what everyone else in his situation did naturally when deep in thought: he paced vigorously around the room. Not that he had even noticed.

Yuya covered his sweaty head with his hands as a pulsing headache started to form inside his skull, unable to wrap his mind around the events that occurred in the past few days. It had been a very wild ride not only for him, but for his friends as well. Never had he ever imagined that their adventure in the Synchro Dimension would've been anything like this...

He sighed lightly from the thought of the adventure so far, fighting against the forces of Academia, saving the City from their troubles, making new friends and allies, and leaving a lasting legacy behind so that the people who lived in the dimension could finally find some peace after years full of turbulence and chaos. It had been a crazy adventure, but their journey in this dimension was almost over.

A genuine smile inched slowly on Yuya's face. Well, at least they could all have some peace for now. However, that didn't ease the apprehensive feeling in his mind and the uneasy sickness in his stomach. He couldn't shake the feeling that even after all he and his friends had done to save the Synchro Dimension...there was still a war they had to fight.

They still personally had to go up against Academia. And the knowledge of that disturbing fact left a cloud of doubt lingering in Yuya, being the cause of his headache in the first place as well as the reason why he was so deeply troubled at the moment instead of happy.

Perhaps, if he eased his mind and aching heart by reminiscing on what happened in the _past_ instead of focusing on the _future_...

Closing his eyes and leaning against a chair with his arms draped down the front of it, Yuya started to reminisce on his adventures, starting with the time when he was locked in the cell by Roget when he defied his alliance. That man was utterly twisted, and there was no doubt in his mind that he was a despot...

* * *

 _"Hello, Yuya. Enjoying your stay here?" There was a layer of condescension in his smooth voice, and it was sickening to hear. Yuya rose from his position on the floor, putting his deck in his left pant pocket before facing his enemy and the Security minions behind him, a dark glare twisting itself on his features._

 _"What do you want with me, Roget?" he snarled angrily, clutching the bars of the cell tightly, his knuckles turning a ghostly white from the strain._

 _The blonde man snickered to himself, giving a leer back at him. "I only desired your alliance before, and I had failed that. So now, if you had nothing to give to me willingly, then you were only in the way. However, that is no longer the case."_

 _But secretly, he had no intentions of revealing his plan to the young boy. In his eyes, Yuya was stubborn and incredibly strong-willed, and had already declared his resolve to save his friends and the Synchro Dimension from the Security Bureau as well as Academia._

 _He had even declared himself as an enemy to Roget personally, spatting out the words in the officer's face, and the man would make sure that that was the last mistake he would ever make. Yuya already showed that he had a strong will and heart for his friends, so what better way than to use that strength for the man's own personal gain...?_

 _"Then why keep me here?" the boy asked venomously. "If I am of no use to you, then let me go! Why am I here?"_

 _Roget clicked his tongue in disappointment; Yuya was indeed quite naive. "I said that you had nothing to give to me willingly. I never said that you were of no more use to me. And as such, I have come to set you free from this dreadful place."_

 _"But you were the one who had sent me here in the first place! That doesn't...wait, what?" Yuya processed the last sentence a little too late after his rant, and even then, he still wasn't sure if he heard the man correctly._

 _"I am letting you go," Roget replied in an amused matter-of-factly tone, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Yuya then heard a click on his door, then it slowly opened, ending his imprisonment._

 _He couldn't believe his eyes or ears; Roget was letting him go, just like that? Even after Yuya had clearly declared that he would never join him or his forces? The boy grew rightfully suspicious of the apparent change of heart; there was something else going on here, something that the man wasn't telling him..._

 _After all, knowing Roget from their encounters, Yuya knew that he would never do anything like this without some underlying motive. And with him being a former Academia agent as well further elevated his suspicions. The man simply cannot be trusted, no matter how good his intentions were._

 _"That's it? Just like that?" Yuya asked, keeping a steady glare on the man. "No secret plan or anything like that? No trap? Gimmick? Ploy?"_

 _Roget laughed at this and gestured to his men to take the boy by his arms, preventing him from escaping their grip. Yuya was far from happy at this, his red eyes glowing slightly with pure rage as he struggled and squirmed against the guards._

 _"I KNEW it! Let me go! ROGET!"_

 _Oh, Yuya," Roget sighed, shaking his head. "Do you want to know why I am letting you go?"_

 _That caught his attention, making him snap his head at the man as a spew of vulgar insults fled his lips. "To take me to another cell? To keep me as your prisoner so you can take over and rule this dimension? To get to my friends and make sure that they are imprisoned as well?! You made that point clear in our last meeting, so whatever you have to say to me, Roget, I am not going to listen to you! Not now, and not ever! YOU GOT THAT?!"_

 _Roget smirked, giving a low hum in disapproval. "Far from your little accusations, actually, Yuya. I only want you to duel your way to the top, and become the winner of the Friendship Cup. After all, didn't you say it yourself that you would help your friends and save this world from Academia? And I'm sure you've learned by now that the people in this world only listen to a winner...so why not become one for them? I know you have that power inside you, one that is strong enough to defeat even Jack Atlas!"_

 _Yuya's glare wavered for a moment, distrustful of the tone and character of his enemy. However, knowing that despite everything the man had done to stop him and the Lancers...Roget was unfortunately right about one thing: if he were to grab the people's attention, he would have to duel and fight to the top and defeat the King of Riding Duels himself. It was the only way for them to succeed, considering the predicament he and the other Lancers were in._

 _But something didn't add up..._

 _Roget took the boy's contemplative silence as mere acceptance, his smile widening to near impossible lengths. "Now you see, Yuya. It's like I said before...we are on the same side in this. I need you to put on a spectacular show and win, to draw in the crowds with your Entertainment Dueling. They'll listen to you, then. However, we can't do that if you're stuck in that old cell..."_

 _And before the boy could say another word in protest, Roget gestured to the Security guards once more, and they tugged at his arms to force him to walk with them away towards an unknown place. The boy had no say in it, except yelling and squirming to break free from their grasp, with more curses flying from his mouth._

 _Yuya looked back to glare at Roget, knowing in his heart that there was something else that he wasn't telling him...but the man had already left. This left a sense of doubt in the boy's heart, especially after processing the full length of their brief conversation._

 _After all, why did Roget need him to entertain the City and win the Friendship Cup? What was he hoping to gain from this? It didn't make any sense..._

 _Though, whatever the man had planned for him and his friends, the boy would personally make sure that he wouldn't succeed. Yuya would win, but not for Roget, only for his friends and for the safety of the City._

 _Even if he had to duel Roget himself..._

* * *

"Well, it all makes sense now..." Yuya sighed to himself, resting most of his weight against the chair. His mind was relieved of its pain somewhat from the memory, but he still cringed from the throbbing.

At least it was working. Perhaps if he tried to focus on something else...

His mind then wandered to what his friends had told him later on in that same week, on how a small group of Obelisk Force soldiers had appeared from the night sky and quickly invaded the City, carding the citizens left and right in glee. They did it without mercy, and everyone was in a horrified panic.

 _They killed hundreds of citizens and hurt more innocent lives with dueling. What they did was wrong, and it was a miracle that anyone was able to make it out okay after all of that..._

Yuya's heart hung heavy at the terrible thought, almost literally breaking in two. It was terrible living through and experiencing that, even if it only lasted for less than a day.

Then, without warning, fresh images of Heartland City being invaded raced through his mind and flooded his entire sight, with Yuto's memories recalling and focusing on the Academia students laughing in sick pleasure as innocents and duelists alike disappeared...

Yuya clenched his fists from this, his crimson eyes glowing slightly in anger. Almost immediately noticing what was happening, he took a few deep breaths, attempting to calm down his mind. As painful and heart-wrenching as those memories were, it was never a good idea for him to act out in anger.

After all, he promised Yuto that he would bring smiles to everyone. And there was absolutely no way that he would go back on that promise, even if the Xyz counterpart often involuntarily forced him into a rage (though, he never once blamed him or bitterly called him out for it).

Yuya shook his head. _Come on, don't think on the bad events, no matter how real or overwhelming they are. Focus on a good memory..._

There was one thing that made him smile: his friends. Yuya remembered when the Lancers soon escaped from the underground, not long after Academia had taken over parts of the City. They fought the Obelisk Force off bravely with help from Shinji and the remaining rebels and immigrants that had all worked underground.

However, they did it for a different cause, a revolution to overthrow the Tops once and for all. Yuya's smile seeped down to a frown again; to say that their actions to create a new society were violent was an understatement.

Parts of his memory were still quite fuzzy on certain things, however, so he couldn't really remember all of the specific details for the moment.

Nevertheless, the Lancers and the revolutionaries of the City all made it out safely, both from the underground and from being defeated by Academia, who had nearly torn then apart. They were saved and free, and it was because of their persistence and their strength in their teamwork that captured the attention of the entire City, both from the Tops and Commons...and from Roget.

Yuya shivered from the memory, closing his eyes. Roget was most definitely _not happy_ when he learned about the invasion and escape from the underground, and his sanity slippage only worsened when the Executive Council turned on him not long after, forcing him to take action, declare marshal law, and send Security all throughout the City in order to suppress the remains of the Obelisk Force (if there were any), the escaped Common rebels that threatened to disrupt his definition of peace, and the Lancers who had bravely stood up against the dangers of Academia and Security.

Yuya could still remember the utter _insanity_ in that man's voice when he had declared his intentions to the public...and when he also announced for the Friendship Cup to continue onward with the semi-finals, with the planned duels being Sergey v.s. Crow and Yuya dueling against Yugo, he was both shocked...and outraged. It was at that point that he knew that the man would do anything to stay in power, even if it meant that he would oppress the entire Synchro Dimension and declare himself as a tyrannical king.

Roget was most definitely a despicable villain, a _coward_ that he absolutely loathed with all of his heart...and despite his own attempts to stay optimistic and help his friends, Yuya felt his own anger seething through the cracks of his heart, slowly overwhelming his mind and thoughts...

A pang erupted in his chest right then and there, his eyesight flashed red for a moment, and Yuya instantly cut off his own memory in order to not lose control of himself again. It left him gasping for air, taking all his efforts to not lose consciousness. Especially concerning the current circumstances, the last thing on his mind was to let his inner darkness take over again...

 _But...these memories just won't stop...Yuto...no, Yugo, are you doing this?_

Yugo...something clicked in Yuya's mind about him. Despite the fact that he was his Synchro counterpart, the tomato-haired duelist couldn't help but wonder what the connection was between them. He was another duelist just like him...and he also owned a dragon, just like Yuto. In fact, it was because of him that the XYZ boy now resided inside Yuya...

There had to be a connection somehow. And there was, which was weird.

But what was even weirder was that there were times when Yuya wondered whether he _himself_ was actually Yugo, especially when the latter dueled. They shared a link, a synchronized relationship that was absolutely unexplainable, but it was just...there.

 _That feeling...it was so refreshing and exhilarating like a blowing wind...but there was also something else..._

Yuya still couldn't describe it. All he could say was that it was like...like...it was as if they were one person, one entity, one voice as a whole. It was impossible to tell if he was either himself or Yugo during those duels, and that confusing sensation rose to a peak when the Friendship Cup semi-rounds included a duel between them, the two counterparts.

He had no idea what was exactly the cause of this..."link", but he knew that it must have something to do with the nature of the counterparts, including himself. And just thinking that he possessed powers and abilities that often worked beyond his own control...was very frightening.

But then he also recollected an excruciating pain in his head back at that time, in his duel with Yugo, when a pain that could only be described as a burning and electrifying sensation shocked and tormented his skull and skin. The electric waves that circuited through his body left him screaming until his voice was raw, leaving a tingling white noise in his ears. He was lucky to not be shell-shocked or have permanent hearing loss from that torment.

It was the most torturous feeling that he had experienced in his entire _life_...and that duel nearly killed him.

It was thanks to that indescribable pain that the synchronization intensified to a point where not only did Yuya felt like he was Yugo, but that he was also Yuto...and someone else. There was an extra person involved in the mix, one voice that he had never heard before...and yet the presence of that person was very familiar, almost recognizable...

As if that person was an embodiment of _himself._ That aspect was a frightening thought for Yuya.

But there was something else in that duel that didn't seem right; he remembered that there was also a constant roaring somewhere in the backgrounds of their voices...no, of _his_ voice. He couldn't tell if the roar came from Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon or Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, but he knew that it was a dragon...and it was very powerful.

The sound of that roar stirred something in his soul, something very dark and familiar. He could only best describe it as being similar to the sensation of pain that he would usually experience whenever Yuto's anger overtook him, except that it was far more intense, more ominous, more... _god-like_ and wrathful. And the pain still continued, acting as a catalyst for this angry entity...and before long, he was lost in the darkness, utterly overwhelmed and overpowered by it. He was helpless, forced to succumb to it against his will.

Ever since that moment, when that powerful sensation appeared, he lost all memory of the duel afterwards. However, he did know that he won the duel _somehow_ , considering that when he regained his senses again (along with an aching body pain), Yugo was completely gone...and Clear Wing Synchro Dragon was somehow there in his own deck. He possessed three dragons, each with their own unique power and summoning method. He would have to investigate that later.

And what was even worse, when he looked inside his helmet, Yuya noticed a broken microchip inside it...a mind control chip that delivered direct _shockwaves_ to his brain. He knew that there was only one person who would do such a sadistic and cruel thing to him...or to anyone, in that matter...

A minor migraine started to pulse in Yuya's head from the abrupt memory, forcing him to stop and rub his forehead, pinching the bridge of his nose. Perhaps...he should stop recollecting on that event for now. It was a rather painful one after all. Best to not rethink or relive it.

Despite the numerous holes in his memory, Yuya knew what happened next quite clearly...at least, despite the other duel that might've occurred after his. He wasn't present at that time, so he had no idea of who won it...although, considering that Crow came out in one piece, Yuya safely concluded that he either defeated Sergey...or, since Roget used the robotic man as a tool to fight against Academia and keep the City under his control, he didn't show up.

But then, Yuya suddenly recollected that Crow was helping the Lancers fight back against Roget and Security, so maybe since neither competitor showed up, their match was skipped or canceled. Either way, he ended up dueling against Jack...

Yuya smiled lightly to himself at the thought. Whatever happened in his duel with Yugo, Jack was most definitely not pleased with him at first. The boy's only guess was that the sensation that he had felt earlier was really his own darkness taking over, meaning that he dueled viciously against Yugo, so the King of Riding Duels proceeded to show him a different path of dueling instead.

He didn't take note of it at first, but Jack was teaching him on how to be both a worthy duelist and entertainer...if, perhaps, in his own stern, unyielding way. It took Yuya a long time to notice what the King was expecting from him, but he eventually delivered the match in a way that was not conceited or arrogant, dueling as an opponent who listened and responded.

His duel with Jack was more than just a match between two opponents...it was also a conversation between two different people. It was thanks to him that Yuya learned to improve himself...and to strengthen his friends as well.

And that revelation was what won him that duel. And Yuya was still forever grateful to Jack for helping him see more clearly.

However, despite the lessons that he learned mentally, his body was aching and tired from the duels. And it was at that moment that Roget mysteriously disappeared from the Synchro Dimension, leaving Security free from his grip...Yuya couldn't shake off the feeling that he would meet that utterly _evil_ man again, and the thought of it left a sickness in his stomach.

Attempting to ignore it all, he tried to focus on his surroundings of the dining hall, taking note of the elegance of the golden chandeliers and the silk red-and-gold carpets on top of the clean cobbled tiles of the floor. The marble walls and the clear crystal ceiling added a more subtle beauty that was pleasing to the eye, although, Yuya didn't really pay much attention to those features.

And then the doors opened and more people came him, which consisted of the Lancers (plus Yuzu), the Executive Council, and his three Synchro friends. The once quiet room was flooded with their voices, and the headache that was receding in Yuya's head came back in full force.

At this point, it was actually impossible to focus on anything visible before him; the chatter in the room was too much for his ears. As everyone took their seats, he also sat down and rubbed his aching forehead from the increasing pressure.

The chatter eventually died down to a silence, but the air still held a sense of eeriness and suspense. Everyone was tense, and Yuya could understand why. The events in the past few days all hung heavy in their minds; after all, who could forget the invasion of Academia or Roget attempting to take over the City?

Despite the obvious tension in the room—the majority of it was between Crow and Jack—the meeting went very smoothly from one topic to another. Yuya tried to pay attention to the conversations, but he only caught bits and pieces here and there.

However, one of the topics involved Roget's disappearance, and even in his current fatigued state, Yuya stiffened involuntarily at the name of that man. Everyone else also reacted in their own way as well, and the pressure in the room instantly _dropped_. It was so quiet, one could hear a pin fall to the ground.

The very thought of that blond despot made Yuya shake his head vehemently as the memories of that wicked man microchipping his helmet and electrocuting him in his duel with Yugo emerged once more. It was an experience the kid wished he could forget forever, and he tried earlier...but he couldn't. He would never be able to forget that painful sensation ever...

Besides that, Yuya could hardly remember the other discussions for the rest of the meeting, his mind being more focused instead on his agonizing headache. He only remembered them talking about something that involved Dennis. There was also something about whether there should be a Head of Security, considering that the City was in peace again...

Peace...Yuya sighed in relief at the word. One thing was for sure: after all the chaos that had transcribed recently, even if they were scarred, traumatized, or hurt badly along the way, even if they knew that there was more trouble lying ahead for them in the future, in this moment there was finally, _finally_ a moment of safety for Yuya and his friends. From what he could tell, the City and the Synchro Dimension as a whole was looking forward to a brighter future ahead of them, once the Lancers have taken care of Academia, that is.

And then, maybe then, people could learn to smile again and enjoy dueling without an ounce of fear, anger or hatred. Just dueling for fun and entertainment, speaking to each other through their monsters and cards...just like his father had done to the people back in his homeland.

Looking around the room once more, Yuya soon caught sight of Yuzu, and his heart gave a slight flutter in relief. He was very grateful to both Sora and Yugo in making sure that she was safe and sound. It felt like ages since she disappeared in the Battle Royale, even though it was only a few weeks ago...

At least she was safe. She was here before him. She was finally _with_ him, reunited by his side. Yuya's heart fluttered at the longing, warm feeling, and he wondered what it meant...

But it didn't matter now, because once this whole war was finally over and done, they can truly go back to their home, to their friends and family together. They could go home... _together_. The thought of that alone made him smile widely in joy and bliss, eagerly waiting for the day when that dream became a reality.

And it would be thanks to both Yugo. And Sora.

 _Sora..._

As for the little Academia soldier, Yuya had no recollection of seeing him ever since he went off to find and help Yuzu. He hoped that his friend was okay...wherever he was. He talked to Yuzu if she knew where he went, but she replied that the last time she conversed with Sora was when he saved her. She stated that they barely escaped from the clutches of Security and the Obelisk Force that time.

Furthermore, Yuya was glad, grateful that Sora was now on their side again. It must've been hard for him to defect from Academia, considering that he probably had spent almost his entire life there (although, he didn't know much of the soldier's past, so he could only assume)...but it was for the greater good.

And personally, for Yuya, he was just glad that his friend was back. He then closed his eyes and sighed, smiling to himself.

 _Be careful, Sora. Thank you for bringing Yuzu back safely, my friend._

* * *

After a couple hours of chatting, debating and planning, some of the people in the hall took notice of the late night fast approaching, due to the horizon being almost completely dark. Everyone was completely tired, evident from the occasional yawns and the grumbling and desires to go to bed. It was finally time to finish everything.

To wrap up the meeting, Reiji decided to make a couple more announcements, standing up in his seat and immediately grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. And as he spoke of what they were planning to do next, it left the entire room in shock, especially one person in particular...

"WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'RE _LEAVING?!"_ The loud outcry almost rang through the entire City, causing some birds that were perched outside the building to fly up in the air. This alarmed a few local residents, who opened their windows and shook their fists at whoever woke them up, with a few swearing like a sailor.

Yuya clasped his ears from the yell as well, the sound not helping with his pained head. The owner of the cry then roughly rose from his seat, almost toppling it over clumsily behind him.

Everyone looked over at Shingo Sawatari, his face beaming bright red with anger as he gave an irritated glare at Reiji. They all sweat-dropped as the brunette with blond bangs continued in a shrill tone, "Why are we leaving already? It's only been a few weeks, and the people of this dimension still haven't realized my potential and greatness as a duelist! We have more work to do here! My father, the _mayor_ , will hear about this when we get back!"

"Shingo, your father isn't mayor _yet_ ," Gongenzaka deadpanned while crossing his arms, reflecting nearly everyone else's thoughts at the boy's last exclamation. Shingo didn't seem to notice as he continued to rant on, making everyone sweat again.

 _Clueless as always._ Yuya sometimes wondered on how Reiji allowed the arrogant boy to be a Lancer in the first place, even though he didn't really hold anything against him. He was a member of the team...but his role was not clear.

Ignoring the arrogant teenager, the gray-haired man merely fixed his red glasses before replying in his usual collected tone. "Our objective in the Synchro Dimension is now complete, so there is no more need for further action here. We've only come here to attain allies and resist any invasion from Academia, if necessary. We've reached those goals, we freed the city and gained their trust, having exceeded our expectations. We can move on to our next target: Academia, the enemy base in the Fusion Dimension."

"But...what about the Xyz Dimension, my _home_?!" Shun asked, his question addressing everyone's thoughts on the obvious elephant in the room. "Shouldn't we go over and help the Resistance fight off Academia? Shouldn't we ensure the safety there _first?"_

"Shun, I can assure you, if we don't attack the problem at its _source_ , then it will never be solved," the leader replied, looking around the room to see everyone's expressions. "However, I have not forgotten about the Xyz Dimension. Rather, I am glad that you have asked me that, Shun."

"And why is that?" the rebel duelist snarled, clenching his fists as bitter memories of the invasion of his home flooded his mind. "Why are we here, then? If Academia is the problem, then why not eliminate those who also lurk in the Xyz Dimension? Why do _we_ have to go straight to the Fusion Dimension when so many of my comrades need our help in _my_ home?"

"Because, as we speak, I already have duelist soldiers trained from LDS traveling there to help the XYZ remnants fight off Academia," Reiji replied smoothly, never leaving his gaze off the young man. "You see, as we would travel to the Synchro Dimension and then to the Fusion Dimension as the front row of Lancers, those who lived and remained in the Standard Dimension would be trained to fight and help the Xyz Dimension. They're most likely fighting off Academia's forces there right now as we speak. So, therefore, Shun, do not fear for your comrades. They are all in capable and safe hands."

"You always have a plan for everything, don't you?" Serena voiced, narrowing her eyes at the man.

"Not everything, Serena," he replied as Shun sank back to his seat and crossed his arms, still very miffed. "I'm only prepared for situations where I can win."

The last statement earned both surprised and mixed responses from the group, ranging from anger to confusion to satisfaction. Only Yuya didn't say anything, considering that the sudden commotion in the room was worsening the pressure in his head. He clutched his hair with both hands, waiting for the noise to die down and ease the pain, if for a little while. Yuzu noticed his discomfort, becoming quite worried for her friend.

In the midst of all the chaos and commotion, Jack and the five council members quietly sipped on their drinks, noticing Reiji raise his hand in order to calm his group down. Even Reira loosened his hold a little, albeit just a little.

"Before you continue, let me remind you that this has always been the main objective of the Lancers: to oppose and stop Academia and to protect the other dimensions. The Xyz Dimension will be delivered into safety once more by LDS, so we will move on to our goal. And to do so, we would eventually have to travel to the Fusion Dimension and fight Academia itself, understand?"

The Lancers each murmured a response before returning to their recent positions, with Sawatari awkwardly fixing his chair that was on the floor. Even though he didn't give a say, Yuya still didn't like the idea of participating in a war, where dueling was used only for conflict and brute force...but he knew that there was no other option when it came to Academia, especially its leader, the Professor. And he hated it.

However, upon looking at the young man, Yuya wondered just how strained Reiji's relationship with his father really was. Of all the Lancers, the war must've hit him the hardest of them all, even if he never showed it. The thought made him wonder what he himself would feel if his own father was also the main enemy...

 _Father..._

Yuya didn't want to think about it. He loved his father too much, and he still missed him with all his heart. He knew that he was still somewhere out there...and he would do whatever it took to find him and be reunited with him.

 _It's been over three years...and yet, I can still remember that day. Father, why did you have to leave? Where did you go?_

It wasn't long before Reiji spoke up again, snapping the tomato-haired boy out of his troubled thoughts. "We will be leaving tomorrow morning. Till then, I want everyone to get a good night's rest. Save up your strength for tomorrow; you will need it for the journey and battle in the Fusion Dimension."

"We will be taking care of everyone's quarters for the night," one of the council members stated in a strict tone. "Now, since everything's been settled, shall we consider this meeting adjourned, Akaba Reiji?"

"I do have one more thing to say," he replied, straightening his glasses again. "Crow, Shinji, I will need your duel disks just for tonight. If you're going to be joining the Lancers, they will need to be upgraded and adjusted to the Solid Vision and Dimension Travel systems before we can move on."

The two Synchro duelists looked up at this, rightfully wary of the man. Crow gave a mild glare at Reiji while Shinji started to protest, saying that he wouldn't let anyone near his duel disk, but nevertheless, the decision was already made. They reluctantly handed over their duel disks to him, but he thankfully let them keep their decks.

Yuya watched this with half-lidded eyes. He really was ready for some shut-eye. And after looking around, so was everyone else; Sawatari was the only one who yawned.

"And now, this meeting is officially adjourned," the Head of the Executive Council declared, much to the Lancers' relief.

And not long after, the dining room was empty and devoid of life as everyone went to their separate suite rooms, the same rooms that they've been in during the Friendship Cup. They murmured their goodnights and best wishes to each other, some even waving a hand or smiling to give extra encouragement. Yuzu alone came up to wish her best friend luck, hugging him briefly and thanking him before returning to her room.

As much as Yuya enjoyed the comfort, he still couldn't shake off that apprehensive feeling stirring inside him, telling him that something bad was going to happen...and _soon_...

* * *

Meanwhile, not far from the dreaded barracks known as Academia, stood a great city now left in rambles and desolation, with skyscrapers toppled over, houses crumbled and streets broken and torn up from war. The cold sunlight shone over the ruins of a once proud metropolis and over one half-dilapidated house resting on the outlands...

"Hey, Lyd! You've got to come and check this out!" a young male voice called out throughout the dark rooms, grabbing the attention of the only other person in the surrounding area of the house. The mentioned figure slowly rose from her position on the wooden chair in the kitchen and walked through the darkness, careful not to step on any leftover debris or broken cement that rested on the ground.

She made her way through the dilapidated remains of the house towards her comrade's voice, lost in her own thoughts and her past. Her friend was not really the type of person who would eagerly call out for anyone; he was too shy to do that.

Therefore, she wondered what he had discovered that would make him grab her attention so earnestly. Maybe he found something important, something that could stop _them_ once and for all.

If that were the case, then there was perhaps a hope for them, for everyone...

"What is it, Joho?" she asked in a slightly irritated tone as she stepped into the room, her tall figure still hidden in the shadows, despite the sole bright light of the computer resting atop the wooden desk.

Upon further inspection of the room, one could note that the white walls were utterly bare, save for the holes here and there that showed the insides, such as the wooden beams and insulation. There were no windows in sight, and the ceiling above showed only one lone fan with light bulbs, not spinning at the moment. The ground was still trashed with debris, the only clear spots being near the desk and trashcan that stood next to it on the left.

Rolling around in the black-wheeled chair to face her, the joyful male gave a wide toothy grin as he pointed to the screen of the computer...or, well, what was _on_ the screen.

"Guess who decided to come back," he answered in a proud tone, his emerald eyes staring up into her purple ones in a loving manner...only to be shoved forcefully out of the way by the girl. He crashed with a thud into the cement wall behind her, giving a slight moan from the impact.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," he grimaced, rubbing his sore head. The light of the computer revealed his face, his hair being a mild brown color with one single bang sticking straight up in the air. He wore a dark cloak, opened to reveal the white shirt and dusty brown belt that rested underneath. His black pants reached all the way to his ankles, with multiple tears decorating one of them, and his feet were covered by a pair of dark combat boots. Two large pockets could be seen on either side of his pant legs, just above his knees.

"Quiet...please," she replied firmly, getting a closer look at the computer.

Her position in front of the machine still darkened her body from the neck down, but the screen gave her face a little more light, revealing a set of bandages wrapped around her forehead, covering her left eye and ear. Her light purple bangs peeked out over some of the bandages; some parts of hair dangled over her ears and drooped on her shoulders while other parts were tied in a loose ponytail in the back, giving her a more unkempt appearance. Her neck was covered completely from view by a high collar, its color being a faded dark purple-gray color. Her lone, dark amethyst eye scrutinized closely at the screen, watching it carefully.

Her sharp eye suddenly widened as a certain image flickered across the screen, followed by an intense glare. "Yep, that's him alright. I'd recognize Academia's clothes anywhere."

"What are we going to do? Why is he here?" There was a strange sense of worry in Joho's tone as his green eyes flickered repeatedly between the screen and the hardened face of his leader. "What if he blows up our whole operation to save the Fusion Dimension? What if he contacts Academia? What if he...finds us? Oh, this is bad, this is _bad!"_

"For once in your life, will you _stop your whimpering, Joho?! MAN UP!"_ she yelled coldly, looking back at her friend with a bright red glow showing underneath her bandages. "He is from Academia, so it doesn't matter. He betrayed us, so he's still our enemy. I'll go out and make sure that he regrets ever coming here."

"You know...maybe he's changed since then," Joho reasoned, hoping to appease her anger. "I mean, we don't even know if he's still in league with them...maybe he defected them, just like you did."

"I don't care," she muttered coldly in return, giving a solemn stare at her friend. "He _betrayed_ us. That's reason enough to kill him."

"K-kill him?! B-but...h-he's your br-br-br...!"

"No, he's not. I've cut off all ties from family four years ago, _remember?"_

"Y-yes. But...this just isn't right."

"So what if it isn't? In the end, the world will have one less troublesome Academia duelist to deal with...and I won't have to live with this pain anymore."

"Lyd..." Joho sighed deeply, not knowing or finding any other way to convince his friend from her decision.

She had already made up her mind, and there was no way for him to change it.

"Alright. Do what you have to do. But...you know there's a risk that you might run out of power if you don't recharge soon. My guess is that you have until tonight to find him."

"Yeah, I know...and that's more than enough time for me," the girl replied in a soft tone, sounding almost forlorn for a moment's notice...before turning her focus back to the computer screen, giving a long and hard glare at the occupant on it. "I think it's soon time for some Academia monsters to _die_ tonight...don't you think?"

* * *

… **And that's it! Next chapter will probably be after I watch Ep. 88. Also, the suspense is increasing! Who is the brother? Also, I'm sorry if the part in the Synchro Dimension was a bit lame. It's SO HARD TO WRITE A SCENE WITH SO MANY CHARACTERS AND SO MANY CONTRASTS IN PERSONALITY! I don't think I did a great job with keeping Yuya IC (in character), but it's sorta justified in this case.**


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